Caretta caretta
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is the only species of Mediterranean sea-turtles that nests in Greece. Sea turtles are reputed to be strongly philopatric, and always return to the same beach they were born on to lay their own eggs. Nesting beaches in Greece are located in Zakynthos, Peloponnese and Crete. In Crete the highest nesting densities were found in Rethimnon, Hania and Matala Bay in Komos Beach.
Caretta-Caretta is an endangered species and it needs the help of us all.
The Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece (STPS) initiated an intensive tagging program in 1982 and is doing a great job so far.
If you are willing to help, you can either contribute a small amount of money to the STPS or join their programs as a volunteer.
Another organization for the protection of Sea turtles is Medasset (Mediterranean Association to Save Sea Turtles), which is based in Greece.
Caretta - Caretta is an old and big reptile which came from dinosaurs. It lives in the sea for over a hundred years. In the age of four years, it comes to the coast to lay its eggs in the sand.
Each turtle lays about 100 - 120 eggs in a hole, which it digs in the sand during the night. The eggs have the size of a table tennis ball and remain in the nest for 55 days.
Then, all the eggs hatch and baby turtles go out in a common effort during the night. (The temperature of the sun is heat helps eggs to be hatched.) After this, all the little turtles find their way to the water, led by a mysterious signal. Perhaps it is the reflection of the moonlight onto the sea.
The scientists believe that the turtles which will succeed in becoming adults are only ten (10) from each nest. Many enemies wait for little turtles in the sea and the coast as well.
Who are these enemies
The lights at the coast, that hold back turtles when they want to lay their eggs, and also mislead the baby turtles to go to the opposite direction. If a tourist accidentally makes a hole in the nest and one eggs breaks, then the rest of the eggs in the nest are ruined.
Foxes and rats eat little turtles at the shore and seagulls and big fishes eat little turtles in the sea. Speed boats can accidentally hit and kill adult turtles. The turtles also go through dangers which come from captures in fishing tools and pollution, and other reasons such as the compression of the sand, the planting of trees or bushes, the setting of umbrellas, armchairs, bicycles and different kinds of boats along the sea-shore.
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